How to Change the Plesk Default Backup Location on a Linux Server

Backups are a critical part of server management. If you are running Plesk on a Linux server, you may eventually need to Change Plesk Backup Location Linux due to storage limitations, disk organization, or performance considerations. By default, Plesk stores all backup files in the following directory:

 /var/lib/psa/dumps

However, you can easily modify this location to another directory, such as a mounted storage disk or a larger partition. This guide walks you through the step-by-step process of changing the default backup location.

Why Change the Backup Location?

• The default partition is running out of disk space.
• You want backups stored on a separate disk or mount point.
• You want better organization of server data.
• Backups need to be stored on faster or larger storage.

Step 1: Connect to the Server via SSH

First, connect to your Linux server using SSH.

ssh root@your-server-ip

Make sure you have root or sudo privileges, as configuration files will need to be modified.

Step 2: Create a New Backup Directory

Create a new directory where the backups will be stored. In this example, we will create a directory called:/home/backups

Run the following command:

mkdir /home/backups

Step 3: Set the Correct Permissions

Plesk requires the directory to have specific ownership and permissions. Set the ownership and permission:

chown psaadm:psaadm /home/backups
chmod 755 /home/backups

This ensures that Plesk services can properly access and write backup files.

Step 4: Modify the Plesk Configuration File

The backup location is defined in the Plesk configuration file. Open the file with a text editor. For example, using vim:

vim /etc/psa/psa.conf

Look for the parameter DUMP_D, which defines the backup directory. Update it to the new location:

# Backups directory
DUMP_D /home/backups

Save the file and exit the editor.

Step 5: Verify the Configuration Change

To confirm the backup directory has been updated, run:

grep -v '#' /etc/psa/psa.conf | grep -w DUMP_D

Expected output:

DUMP_D /home/backups

This confirms that Plesk will now use the new backup location.

Step 6: Move Existing Backup Files

To avoid losing access to previous backups, move the existing files from the old location to the new directory.

mv /var/lib/psa/dumps/* /home/backups/
mv /var/lib/psa/dumps/.discovered/ /home/backups/

This transfers all backup files and the hidden .discovered directory.

Step 7: Restart the Plesk Control Panel 

Finally, restart the sw-cp-server service so the configuration changes take effect.

service sw-cp-server restart

Final Result

After completing these steps, Plesk will store all future backup files in /home/backups/ instead of the default /var/lib/psa/dumps

Best Practices for Plesk Backups

To improve backup reliability and storage management:

• Store backups on a separate disk or mounted storage
• Regularly monitor disk usage
• Automate scheduled backups

Conclusion

Changing the default backup directory in Plesk is a simple but effective way to optimize storage management on your Linux server. When you Change Plesk Backup Location Linux, you can move backups to a larger disk or external storage, helping prevent the primary server disk from filling up and affecting performance.

By updating the configuration file and safely moving existing backup files, administrators can relocate backup storage without disrupting the current server environment. This process is an important part of Plesk Server Management, ensuring that backups are stored in the right location while maintaining system stability and reliability.

Proper backup configuration and monitoring are essential components of professional server management services. With well-organized backup storage, businesses benefit from improved server performance, better storage utilization, and stronger disaster recovery preparedness.